Spring device



July 22, 1952 H. w. PATTERSON SPRING DEVICE Filed June l2, 1948 INVENTOR @m/mm By M 0 2 B 2 2 d 6 2 7 2 Patented July 22, V1952 fOPFIi SPRING DEVICE 7: vHerman W. Patterson, Shaker Heights, Ohio I lApplication June 12, 1948, Serial No. 32,575

Claims. (ol. 267-1) My invention pertains broadly to spring devices. v

Springs of the coil and leaf type have what may be termed a positive force-tov-compression ratio, :that is, the more the spring is'compressed the greater the force it exerts to try to resume its original position. QAn object of my invention is to provide a spring Adevice which has a negative force-toeompression ratio which is not positive, that is, a spring device wherein the restoring force exerted is substantially constant for considerable deflection and which then becomes less and less as the spring is further compressed.

AnotherV object of my invention is to provide a spring device which has a stabilizing effect.

A `further object of my invention is to provide a spring Vdevice having a negative lforce-to compression ratio land itsmaximum stabilizing effect at the point where it has its greatest resistance to compression. y

Other objects and a fuller understanding of my invention may be had by referring to the specication and drawing.

In one of its concepts the spring device ol the invention comprises a rst plate and a second plate and a rst and a second length spring wire. Means are 'provided connecting the central portion of theflrst length of wire to the rst plate and means are provided connecting each free end of the first length of wire to the second plate Similarly, means are provided connecting the central portion of the second of the lengths of wire to the rst plate at a point spaced from thepoint of connection of the first length of wire. The free ends of the second length of wire are connected to the second plate together with the free ends of the first length of wire at a location intermediate the points where the central portions of the first and second wires are connected to the first plate. The lengths of the wires are such that when the wire is substantially unstressed the `two plates are maintained in spaced-apart relationship. f

Figure `1 is `an"isometrlc view of my spring device.' Y

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Figure v1. p

Figure 3 is an enlargedv fragmental view of a portion of the spring device, and Y K `li'gure 4 is across-sectional view of a paper disp'ensing'container showing the spring device in association therewith. .j Y

.With reference to Figure 1, my invention comprisesa at base plate I 0 having at each end 2 thereof a punched-out and upwardly turned tab II and I2. A second flat plate I3 is mounted substantially parallel to the base plate I0 by means of two lengths of spring wire I4 and I5. The plate I3 has a number of punched-out downwardly turned tabs I6 which serve to holdv the ends of the wires I4 and I 5. 'I'he central portion of the wire I4 lits loosely under the upwardly turned tab I I and the ends of the wire are loosely held by the tabs I6 in the plate I3. The central portion of the wire I5 similarly is loosely held by tab I2. Each free end of each of the wire springs I4, I5 should be held by several of the tabs I6, I 'I and I 8 in order to maintain the alignment of the end of the wire. I have found it preferable to utilize three tabs to hold each free end of the wires, and the center tab I'I is punched out from the plate I 0 with its hinge edge opposite the hinge edge of the tabs I6, I8. This positively prevents the free end of the wire from slipping out of place. The plate I3isresiliently suspended above the plate I0 by means of the springs I4 and I5, and the springs should bow outwardly, as shown. The length of the springsV I 4. I5 should preferably be equal and should be such that when in their neutral position they hold the plate I3 away from the plate I0 and substantially parallel thereto. VUponl compressional force being applied. ten ing to urge the plate I3 towards the plate IIJ, the springsv I4 and I5 bow outwardly further than when in their neutral or unbiased position Vpermitting the plate I3 to approach the plate I0. The location oi the wires when the plates are squeezed together is shown in dotted lines iii-Figure 2. For a considerable deflection of the Y plates I3, 20 toward each other the counter-force lextended by the springs I4, vI5 seems to remain substantially constant, and then as the plates approach closer the counter-force decreases. This may be termed an inverse force-to-compression ratio as it is contrary to most springs which evidence a greater restoring force for greater compression distance. It ls important in obtaining the maxilnum inverse forcev-to-compression ratio that the springs I4 and VI5 be held loosely at II and I2 and is particularly important that the ends of the springs be held loosely at the plate I3. This permits the springs I4 and I5 to rotate slightly as the plate I3 ispushed toward the plate I0 thereby bowing the springs outwardly and prevents torsional forces from being built up in the springs I4 and I5. rIf this torsional force Vwere permitted to be built .up in the'springs I4 and I5, the device would be apt to exhibit a posi- 3 tive force-to-compression ratio as the further together the plate were pushed the greater would be the torsional forces established. With the ends of the springs I4 and I5 held loosely by the tabs I6, it is important to provide means for preventing the ends of the springs from sliding through the tabs. This I do by providing a depression in the center of the plate I3 and by causing the ends of the springs I4 and I5 to abut against the edges thereof.

In Figure 3 there is illustrated a container which is particularly useful for dispensing tissue paper or the like. A spring of the type shown in Figures 1 and 2 is particularly useful in such a container as it exerts a minimum amount of force when the container is fullof paper, thereby greatly reducing the frictional forces exerted on a sheet of paper when it is withdrawn from the container. This, of course. reduces to substantially zero the sheets which are torn as they are withdrawn. The container is identified generally by the reference character 2l and comprises a bottom portion 22v and a tOi portion 23, These two portions are hinged togetherr at the dispensing end 2.6 as is shown in detail in` my copending application Serial Number 545,038, issued on February 1, 194,9 as Patent No. 2,460,306, and single sheets of paper can be withdrawn from the slot 21. The catch device 24 may be used to hold the two container portions together at the end opposite the, dispensing end. Reference character 25 indicates a stack of interfolded shets of. tissue which are to be dispensed one at a time from the container 2I. In this container the tissue is fedv from one side out through the slot 21, and,4 accordingly, it, may be desirable, especially for some types of paper, that a'spring device be positioned in the dispenser to maintain the pack of tissuetoward the side from which it is dispensed.

If the spring device had a positive force-tocompression ratio, it would exert its maximum force when the packwas fully loaded and the spring compressed to its maximum extent and might thereby prevent the tissue from being easily dispensed. If the forceof the spring were too great, the rst few sheets of tissue dispensed might be torn in the act of withdrawing them from the container. However, with my spring device which exhibits al negative force-to-compression ratio, the spring device has its least restoring force when the dispenser is completely loaded and as the dispenser is emptied by withdrawing tissue, the spring exerts a greater and' greater force to cause the remaining tissues in the container to be forced against the wall from which they are dispensed.

When used with the tissue dispensing container the spring device maybe slightly modified, as is shown in Figure 4, by using one wall of the container as the base- I0. In this construction there are two retainer lugs (only one of which II is shown) moldedy integral with the wall of the container and shaped to hold the center portions of the spring wires I4, I5 in a manner similar to theY way in which the tabs II and I2 hold the wires.

A further slight modification which may be made in the device shown in Figure 4 is to utilize the wall 22 in place of the platform I3 and to anchor the free ends of the spring wires to the wall. In this modification the base I0 would be in contact with the tissue 25. e

When my spring device is used with a container for dispensing tissues it is desirable thatl 4 the weight of the tissues which fill the container be sufcient to hold the springs down once they are compressed, but that the weight be insumcient in itself to compress the springs. Thus, when loading the container shown in Figure 4, the container is held in an upside-down position with the side 23 open and a new pack of paper is placed in position against the plate I3 and is pushed to compres-s the springs I4, I5 until the plate I3 is against the wall 22'. Thev weight of the tissues isthen sufcienttohold the plate I3 down and the case can then easily be closed.

A further important feature of my invention is that the spring device exhibits a stabilizing effect. In its extended position, as is shown in Figure 1, if avr person tried to push down on one side of the plate I3, forces would be built up in the springs I4 and I5 to resist this motion and to cause the plate I3 to try to remain parallel to the plate I0. So, too, if the plate I3 were pushed sidewaysY and slightly downward with respect to the plate I0, the springs I4 and I5 would have built up in their sides unequal restoring forces which would tend to keep the plate I3 parallel to the plate I0. This stabilizing effect is also of value in the tissue dispensing container EI as it keeps the various sheets of tissue flat against the top wall 23 from which they aredispensed, and when the dispenser is partially empty, the tendency of the tissue to tumble about within the container is counterbalancedl by a gentle pressure and stabilizing eiTectof/thespring' device.

In a typical spring device manufactured" in accordance withy the invention the following weight-deflection relationship h as beenrobserved, where the original or naturaly spacing between the plates I0 and I3 was 1; inchandthe weights applied to they plate I3 tending to force it down toward the plate I0, The weights used and the deflections produced byl them are given in the following table:

Spacing In Weight In Inches Ounces l s 5 96, 1. 55 1. 0 5s 1. I-.v is. 1.l oA if .i

While I have describedmy invention. with a certain degree 0f particularity, itv is. to rbe under.- stood that. changes may be made, such, for example, as anchoring thefree ends ofv the spring wires I4, I5 at theplate. I0 andthe-central portions at the plate I3, and changes maybe-made in the means for connecting the spring-wires to the plates without departing from the spirit andA scope of my invention.

I claim as myV invention: I

1. In al spring device, a rst plate, a secondplate,

a rst looped length ofspring wir@ connected'to said first plate and connected to said second plate,

ing suflicientthatwhen the, wirel is substantially,v

unstressed the two plates are maintained in spaced-apart relationship.

2. A spring device as set forth in claim l, further characterized by means connecting said iirst and second loops of spring wire to said rst and second plates and permitting said first and second wires to rotate with respect to said iirst and second plates as said plates are moved toward each other.

3. A spring device as set forth in claim 2, further characterized by abutment means connected to said second plate against which ends of the said Wires abut to prevent the wires from slipping with respect to said second plate.

4. In a spring device: a rst plate; a second plate; a rst looped length of spring Wire; a second looped length of spring wire; means connecting said rst and second loops of spring wire to said rst plate and tab means integral with and displaced from the plane of the second plate connecting the rst and second loops of spring wire to said second plate and permitting said rst and second Wires to rotate with respect to said rst and second plates as said plates are moved toward each other; said second looped length of 20 spring Wire being connected to said rst plate at a point spaced from the point Where the first loop of wire is connected to the rst plate, and the HERMAN W'. PATTERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Werner June 9, 19(28 Ree May 29, w23 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Oct. 30, 1930 Great Britain Aug. 2, 1945 

